Bl**dy neighbours
My sister is having some real problems with her neighbour.
The problems stem from way back over a number of petty things eg extentions fences etc, which I won't go into, but basically they don't speak. My sister has tried to be reasonable, but there is no reasoning with some people.
Anyway she has now put a complaint into the council about the dog, saying he's too noisy etc. My sister was totally shocked cos it is just not true. He's no worse than a normal dog, he'll bark when someone comes to the door, and occasionally for other noises as most dogs do.
I don't know if anyone remembers but I told you my sister lost her weim in a tragic accident, she'd only had him 13 weeks, he was 18 months old. Not long later they got a 2 year old weim, they had only had him 1 day and night when the neighbour came and complained that he'd barked on and off till 11pm, she moaned and moaned about her husband needing sleep as he's on shifts etc. My sister tried to explain that he was a different dog, and it was his first day, so give him chance to settle in.
My sister told me that he did bark occasionally throughout the evening at anyone who passed or made a noise, but they stopped him straight away everytime, Her husband even stayed downstairs with him all night to settle him in, and to keep him quite.
Anyway after that they were consious of keeping his barking to the minimum, so there is no way he barked excessively.
About 10 days later they got a letter saying a complaint had been made. They knew it had nothing to to with the dog really, it was a vendetta about something else, but what could they do.
They phoned the council and explained they had only just got him, and he only barked as much as any dog, but they were trying to keep it to a minimum, of course they don't no what noise he makes when they are out, but they leave him as little as possible and that he would settle in a few weeks. He seemed reasonable but said keep a diary of dates and times and how long he barks etc. He said the neighbour was doing the same.
They did it for a fortnight but stopped as it seemed so silly, cos he was only barking for seconds a few times a day. Again they don't no when they are out, but when they really have to go where they can't take him, they try their best, they give him a kong, and they stand outside the front door for a few mins just to see how long it is before he stops crying, they have even got another friend in the street to come and listen outside so long later just to make sure he stays quite. As far as they know he's ok.
I'm not just sticking up for my sister, I know her dog is not a noisy problem, I'm round there a lot day and night, and he hardly barks. And everytime he does they stop him straight away. Honestly their life is spoilt worring about keping him quite. I just can't believe it, someone knocks at the door, the dog does the natural thing and barks, I say let him bark, it's what a dog does, but because of them the dog is told no repeatedly, basically getting told off, it's just not fair. If the dog barked as much as he wanted without being told to stop, it still wouldn't be excessive.
Anyway the neighbours diary didn't tally with there's. they had him down as barking a lot more, and wanted to take it further. Apparently someone came round and rigged something up for half an hour, and would you believe it was a day my sister had to leave him for an hour while she went to the hairdresses, He obviously cried on and off the half hour they were rigged up, so they are saying it's classed as excessive, they are going to come again and do it another day and see how he is. Then take it from there, they said they could take them to court. Surely you can't base it on a couple of half hours. I would of thought they would rig something up for a couple of weeks to get some proper proof. My sister is under so much stress because of this, and I don't no what to do to help. Has anyone had problems like this before.
It is really annoying because some people just don't care and their dogs bark constantly and nothing is done about it, and some one who is bothered is at risk of getting her dog took off her. Her poor daughter is devastated about it all.
Anyone got any advice.
Also has anyone got any advice on keeping a dog from crying when you do go out. (just incase he is) They are going to tape him and see for themselves. We know she is making it a lot worse than it is.
Sorry this has got so long, (if you've managed to get this far) but I
just wanted to explain properly.
Thanks for listening.
Mitch